By Justin McGill
Tribune-Courier Managing Editor
jmcgill@tribunecourier.com

DRAFFENVILLE – With her days as a high school student coming to an end, Marshall County senior Lexi Estes looked to the future. What she found was an opportunity to continue her golf career at Kentucky Wesleyan College in Owensboro.

Estes, who qualified as an individual for the state final last season, signed a letter of intent Friday at the school.

Estes said she is ready to experience golf in a different environment.

“I’m really excited,” Estes said. “I’m really nervous about the level of competition, but I’m ready.”
Estes had plenty of chances to play against the best golfers in Kentucky, and she said she expects that experience to help her at Wesleyan.

“I’ve still got a lot to work on before I get there, but I think that will help,” Estes said.

Estes has already met her new teammates and said they were a big part of her decision to go to Wesleyan.
In her time at MCHS, Estes measured herself against the Marshal golfers as much as Lady Marshals. MCHS head coach Paul Lamb said that’s one of many reasons Estes should be successful at the college level.

“I’ve known Lexi since she was a seventh grader, and she’s always been a hard worker,” Lamb said. “I have a lot of competitive boys on the team, and she’d get out there and try to beat them to.”

Lamb said Estes’ work ethic will have a positive impact on her teammates and school.
“She’s a great golfer, but she’s also an excellent student,” Lamb said. “She’ll add to that school academically as well as athletically.”

Todd Trimble of The Golf Complex in Paducah has instructed Estes for the last five years and helped Estes and her family determine which school was the best fit for her.

“The natural progression for a golfer is to always get better, but Lexi got exponentally better over the last few years,” Trimble said. “That is reflected in her scholarship and the offers she received.”

Trimble said he expects Estes to be a good fit at Wesleyan.

“It’s a combination of everything – she loves to play golf, they’ve got a very active program, she’ll love the school and fit in nicely, it’s not overcrowded,” Trimble said. “It will all suit her. Plus, they’ve got a great training facility.”